Operator for liquid dispensers

ABSTRACT

An operator for liquid dispensers, particularly liquid soap, which is capable of hand, foot or other remote operation to cause discharge from a single nozzle; the foot operator utilizing a tube adjacent the inlet end of the dispensing tube which is squeezed by a plunger moved by a slide rod within a control cable; the slide rod in turn being operated by the reciprocal end of a foot-engaged leaf spring.

D United States Patent 1111 3,581,957

(72] Inventor Herbert S. McCray [56] References Cited Mission Cam UNITEDSTATES PATENTS P 7931097 2,311,624 2/1943 Bobrick 222/400.sx FM 2 648288 s 1953 M k 103 148 14s Patented Junel 1911 1 l 3' S 2,665,825 1/1954Po1tras et al... 222/l79X [73} Ass1gnee The Bobrlch Corporation 3 233787 2,1966 ROSS ZZZ/I79 L05 Angelmcam.

Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerNorman L. Stack, Jr.Att0rney-Lyon 8L Lyon [54] OPERATOR FOR LIQUID DISPENSERS 3cla'msfiprawmg h ABSTRACT: An operator for liquid dispensers,particularly [52] US. Cl 222/505, liquid soap, whichis capable of hand,foot or other remote 222/214 operation to cause discharge from a singlenozzle; the foot [51] Int.Cl. B67d 5/06 operator utilizing a tubeadjacent the inlet end of the [50] Field of Search 222/278, dispensingtube which is squeezed by a plunger moved by a 272, 179, 400.8, 505,214;103/148; 15/250.0l, slide rod within a control cable; the slide rod inturn being operated by the reciprocal end of a foot-engaged leaf spring.

PATENI EU Jun 1 lQ'II INVENTOR. 772765587 51%(24/ OPERATOR FOR LIQUIDDISPENSERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Liquid dispensers which areoperated either by hand or by foot are exemplified by US. Pat. No.2,311,624, in which a closed liquid system transmits movement of afoot-operated diaphragm to the dispensing unit. This arrangement, whileextensively used, has posed a problem in installation and maintenance ofthe liquid system, as well as the necessarily high cost.

SUMMARY OF'THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a hand orfoot operated liquid dispenser, and included in the objects of theinvention are:

First, to provide an operator for liquid dispensers wherein aconventional hand operated liquid dispenser, such as disclosed incopending application, Ser. No. 702,277, filed Feb. I, I968 and issuedMay 27, I969 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,405 is modified to include a footcontrol.

Second, to provide a liquid dispenser control wherein a squeeze tube,located in the soap reservoir chamber at the inlet end of the dischargetube is engaged by a plunger operated by a slidable thrust rod which, inturn, is reciprocated by a foot-operated means; the squeeze tuberemaining ineffective when the hand control is operated.

Third, to provide a liquid dispenser incorporating a novelly arrangedfoot operator wherein an arched leaf spring is encased in a flexiblehousing and attached to a reciprocable operating rod, the housing beingyieldable to foot pressure to permit the arched spring to extend orcontract thereby reciprocating the operating rod.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES.

FIG. 1 is a reduced side view of the operator for liquid dispensers.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken within Circle 2of FIG. 1, showing the foot-operated dispensing pump in its normal orexpanded condition and the operator in its retracted position.

FIG. 3 is a similar fragmentary sectional view of the dispensing pump inits contracted position and the operator in its extended position.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the foot operator, taken withinCircle 4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the foot operator, takenthrough 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken through 6-6 of FIG. 5,showing the means of connection between the thrust rod and thefoot-operated spring.

The operator for liquid dispensers is intended for use in conjunctionwith a liquid container or reservoir 1, having a hand dispenser oroperator 2, mounted in the upper portion of the reservoir and having anoutlet 20. The hand dispenser or operator may be the same as thatdisclosed in the aforementioned copending application, Ser. No. 702,277,or the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,311,624, issued Feb. 23, 1943,modified to include an inlet tube 3 extending to the bottom of thereservoir 1. v

The lower end of the inlet tube 3 fits within a squeeze tube 4, whichfunctions as a pump. The remaining end of the squeeze tube is providedwith an inlet valve 5, preferably of the duck bill type. The squeezetube 4 is contained within a cylindrical housing 6, having a constrictedend 7, and receiving a constricted internal collar 8. The collar 8 iscemented in place and the collar 8 and constricted end 7 compress theextremities of the squeeze tube around the inlet valve 5 and the inlettube 3. The squeeze tube may engage the inlet valve directly, but it ispreferred to mount the inlet valve within a sleeve 9.

Beyond the collar 8, the squeeze tube 4 flares outwardly, as indicatedby 10, and serves to prevent the inlet tube 3 from kinking. The oppositeextremity of the squeeze tube is flared,

as indicated by 11, to guard and to ensure access to the inlet valve 5.

The housing 6 is provided with a side fitting 12, which is screwthreaded and extends through an opening in the bottom of the soapreservoir 1. The fitting 12 receives a mounting nut 13, and a suitableseal ring 14 is provided at the juncture between the housing 6 and theside fitting. The side fitting is provided with a bore I5, whichreceives a plunger 16. The plunger is reciprocal and moves between aretracted position, shown in FIG. 2, permitting the squeeze tube toassume its normal shape, and an extended position, shown in FIG. 3, inwhich the sidewall of the tube is squeezed inwardly. The squeeze tube isformed of plastic material having elastomeric qualities; for example,but not limited to, polyvinyl.

The side fitting 12 is internally screw threaded to receive a sleevecoupling 17, which is secured to one end of a sleeve 18 by means of aconventional clamp nut 19. The sleeve is preferably formed of extrudedplastic tubing, and contains an operating rod 20 which may likewise beformed of plastic material.

The operating rod or thrust rod 20 is controlled by a foot operator 21,which includes a baseplate 22, one end of which is folded upwardly toform a mounting member 23, then is doubled backwardly to form a guardportion 24. The mounting member 23 receives a sleeve coupling 25, andclamp nut 26 which secures the sleeve 18 with respect to the footoperator. The thrust rod 20 extends beyond the sleeve into the footoperator above the baseplate 22.

Mounted on top of the baseplate 22 is an arched leaf spring 27. The endof the spring remote from the mounting member 23 is joined to thebaseplate by a hinge 28. The spring 27 arches upwardly from the hinge 28and toward the mounting member 23, terminating in a cylindrical loop end29, having a circumferential slot 30 which receives the end of thethrust rod 20. The cylindrical loop end 29 receives a split tubular pin31, having a longitudinal slot 32, which in turn is dimensioned so thatthe tubular pin 31 is firmly clamped to the thrust rod 20.

The spring 27 and baseplate 22 are encased in a yieldable housing orcover 34, having an arched portion 35, conforming to the curvature ofthe spring 27, and an end portion 36 overlying the guard portion 24. Thelower side of the cover 34 is open except for an internal rim 37 whichunderlies the margins of the baseplate 22.

The housing 34 and the spring 27 are intended to be depressed by footpressure and a stop 38 is provided under the spring 27 so as to limitmovement of the loop end 29.

Operation of the operator for liquid dispensers is as follows:

It is desired to obtain liquid by hand operation, the hand dispenser oroperator 2 is reciprocated in a conventional manner which draws in acharge of liquid through the inlet valve 5, causing a like amount ofliquid to be dispensed all as more fully set forth in the aforementionedcopending application.

If it is desired to use the foot operator 21, the housing or cover 34and spring 27 are depressed, as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 4, causingthe loop end 27 to move the operating or thrust rod 20 in a direction todrive the plunger 16 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the positionshown in FIG. 3. This operation compresses the squeeze tube 4 causing acharge of liquid to issue from the dispenser 2.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown anddescribed, it is not intended to limit the same to the details of theconstructions set forth, but instead, the invention embraces suchchanges, modifications and equivalents of the various parts and theirrelationships as come within the purview of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A liquid dispenser, comprising:

a. a liquid reservoir;

b. a reciprocal hand operated pump mounted on said reservoir for thedischarge of liquid from the reservoir;

0. an inlet tube for supplying liquid to said hand operator,

said inlet tube extending to the bottom of said reservoir;

d. a squeeze tube of larger diameter than said inlet tube continuingtherefrom;

e. an inlet valve at the extremity of said squeeze tube;

f. a tubular housing for said squeeze tube within said reservoir, saidhousing having an integral constricted end to receive and compress oneend of said squeeze tube and a plug in its other end to compress theother end of said squeeze tube, the ends of said squeeze tube beingcompressed into sealing engagement with said inlet tube and said inletvalve;

g. said housing having a side fitting projecting from said housingthrough a wall of the reservoir and having a bore confronting saidsqueeze tube;

h. a reciprocal means for squeezing said squeeze tube mounted in saidbore; and

i. foot operator means for activating said reciprocal means to provide afoot-operated pump for the discharge of liquid from the reservoir.

2. A liquid dispenser, as defined in claim 1, wherein said foot operatorcomprises:

a. a baseplate;

b. an arched leaf spring mounted on said baseplate and including a freeend reciprocal when the arched leaf spring is foot depressed; and

c. a thrust rod operatively connecting said spring and said reciprocaltube squeezing means.

3. A liquid dispenser, as defined in claim 1, wherein said foot operatorcomprises:

1. A liquid dispenser, comprising: a. a liquid reservoir; b. areciprocal hand operated pump mounted on said reservoir for thedischarge of liquid from the reservoir; c. an inlet tube for supplyingliquid to said hand operator, said inlet tube extending to the bottom ofsaid reservoir; d. a squeeze tube of larger diameter than said inlettube continuing therefrom; e. an inlet valve at the extremity of saidsqueeze tube; f. a tubular housing for said squeeze tube within saidreservoir, said housing having an integral constricted end to receiveand compress one end of said squeeze tube and a plug in its other end tocompress the other end of said squeeze tube, the ends of said squeezetube being compressed into sealing engagement with said inlet tube andsaid inlet valve; g. said housing having a side fitting projecting fromsaid housing through a wall of the reservoir and having a boreconfronting said squeeze tube; h. a reciprocal means for squeezing saidsqueeze tube mounted in said bore; and i. foot operator means foractivating said reciprocal means to provide a foot-operated pump for thedischarge of liquid from the reservoir.
 2. A liquid dispenser, asdefined in claim 1, wherein said foot operator comprises: a. abaseplate; b. an arched leaf spring mounted on said baseplate andincluding a free end reciprocal when the arched leaf spring is footdepressed; and c. a thrust rod operatively connecting said spring andsaid reciprocal tube squeezing means.
 3. A liquid dispenser, as definedin claim 1, wherein said foot operator comprises: a. a baseplate; b. anarched leaf spring hinged at one end to said baseplate and having a freeend reciprocal on said baseplate; c. a flexible cover for said leafspring arched in conformity thereto, said cover and spring being footdepressible to reciprocate the free end of said spring; d. a guidesleeve extending from said baseplate to the side fitting of said squeezetube housing; and e. a thrust rod slidable in said sleeve and secured tosaid spring and to said reciprocal means.